Spacecraft methods and structures with beacon-receiving field-of-view matched to beacon station window
US6676087B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 30, 2003 |
| Grant date | Jan 13, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 30, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64G1/363
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Methods and structures are provided that enhance the accuracy of the service attitude of an inclined-orbit spacecraft and, thereby, facilitate reduction of service error between a communication service area and the spacecraft's payload beam. The enhancement is realized by configuring a beacon-receiving antenna to have a beacon-receiving field-of-view that substantially matches a beacon-station window. Preferably, the beacon-receiving field-of-view is elongated and tilted to enhance its match with the beacon-station window in both size and orientation. The goals are also realized by configuring the beacon-receiving antenna to have a beacon-receiving field-of-view that is substantially smaller than the beacon-station window and successively steering a beacon-receiving boresight to successive beacon-receiving attitudes that maintain the beacon station within the beacon-receiving field-of-view over each solar day. In an embodiment of the invention, successive positions of the beacon-receiving field-of-view are arranged in a tiled arrangement. Spacecraft structures are also provided to practice the methods of the invention.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.